Unit feeding apparatus and parts thereof



March 4, 1941. M AYERS 2,233,466

UNIT FEEDING APPARATUS AND PARTS THEREOF Filed Sept. 22, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 N VENTOR. 11 l/fon I. Age! 5 A TTORNEY.

March 4, 1941. M AYERS UNIT FEEDIkG APPARATUS AND PARTS THEREOF Filed Sept. 22, 1938 4Sheets-Sheet 2 1 xxx r m a 0280 I! mm fi V II o m," 02 7 5 "/3 Q o 9 8 u 9 M. o o o1 8 a m roo 77 Z80 .3

INVENTOR. MI/la Aj BY Z M ATTORNEY. I

March 4, 1941. HQ YERS 2,233,466

UNIT FEEDING APPARATUS AND PARTS THEREOF Filed Sept. 22, 1938 4-Sheets-Sheet 3 .lmuw- "WI ATTORNEY.

March 4, 1941. M, AYgRs 2,233,466

UNIT FEEDING APPARATUS AND PARTS THEREOF Filed'Sept. 22, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

M l/7'2 Ayers ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics UNI-T FEEDING APPARATUS AND PARTS THEREOF 18 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing and'feeding apparatusand parts thereof. In one of its aspects the invention is directed to anapparatus for feeding and counting units, such as discs, tablets, capsules, pills and the like whereby a predetermined number of units may be readily and easily fed into a container in an easy and emcient manner. Further, the invention is directed to novel counting fixtures and improved parts thereof.

An object of my invention is to provide a feeding machine, which is rugged, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate, substantially fool proof and adapted to be used with a wide variety of materials of different weights, shapes, sizes and compositions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a feeding machine having adjustments for varying the quantity of units to be fed to a container, for varying the pressure on a unit above the desired number to retain the same in place for a definite period of time, for varying the degreeof vibration of the units, and for varying the speed 1 of feeding the units to their respective channels.

A still further object of my invention is to pro-- vide fixtures of an improved and novel type.

These and many other objects of my invention will be'readi'ly apparent from the following description and drawings wherein,

Figure 1 represents a side view of an apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2' represents a front view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3' represents a cross sectional view taken on line 111-111 of Figure 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 represents a longitudinal cross sectional view of the lower part of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 and illustrates the position of the gate when in operative position and the position of the guide when the gate is in said position.

Figure 5 represents a view similar to Figure 4 and shows the relative positions of the gate,

" guide and retaining pin when the gate is in its Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of Figure 8 on the: line IX-IX of Figure 8 in the direction of the arrows. 7

According to the invention there is a pedestal Ml extending upwardly from a base H and supporting a platform l2 on which is fixedly mount ed an electric motor l3 which is preferably a constant speed motor. The motor 13 has an outwardly extending rotor shaft IA and rigidly secured to said shaft M by a locking stud bolt [5 is an elongated cylindrical sleeve l6 extending outwardly from the shaft l4.

The outer half length I! of the sleeve it is of reduced diameter to provide a bearing shoulder l8 and the outer surface I9 thereof is cylindrical and is eccentric with respect to the rotor shaft I4 as shown in Figure 6;

oscillatory vertical motion is imparted by the constant speed rotor eccentric It to a follower 2d. The follower consists of a cylindrical lower sleeve 2| concentrically mounted on a cylindrical bushing 22 concentrically mounted on roller bearing rods 23 concentrically mounted on cylindrical eccentric It. The roller bearing rods 23' are rotatably mounted in end annular members so that the bearing rods may be mounted and dismounted as a unitbearing member. The inner ends of the roller bearing, the bushing and the lower sleeve of the follower all may abut against the shoulder t8 and the outer ends thereof may abut against a retaining washer 24 maintained in position at the outer end of the sleeve I6 by a nut 25 making threaded engagement with the sleeve It. Integral with the sleeve 2! and ex tending upwardly there-from is upright 26' whose upper extremity is of reduced diameter to pro-- vide a projection 21' over which fits one end of a horizontally disposed arm 28 extending towards therear of the platform [2. The arm 28 issecured to the upright 26 by a locking stud bolt 29 extending through one end of thearm 28 and frictionally bearing against projection 21 and the other end of arm.28 has a'resilient striking nipple 3!! of leather or rubbersecured thereto and extending upwardly therefrom.

Four supporting and spacing standards or rods 3| are mounted on and supported by the platform I2. The standards 3! are spaced around the motor l3' and are secured to the support I2 by nuts 32 making threaded engagement with the reduced ends of the standards extending through openings of corresponding size in platform l2. Located above said motor [3" is a hopper support 32 consisting of a cast member hav-i ing a flat base 33 and a pair of sides 34 integral 32 also may be open and integral with the side walls 34 at the rear portions thereof are plate supporting ribs 36 whose upper faces extend downwardly forward from the rear towards the front of support 32.

A feeding plate 31 of relatively thin but rigid and rugged metallic construction which may be easily vibrated is freely disposed between the side walls 34 and is anchored at one end to the support 32 by locking stud bolts 33 extending through openings therein and making threaded engagement with tapped openings in the upper parts of the ribs 36 on which said plate 31 rests. Integral with the rear end of said plate 31 is an upwardly extending flange 38' extending across the upper part of the opening between side walls 34 and upwardly to the upper limit of the rear edges of said side walls. Said plate 31 extends downwardly forward towards the front of said support .32 and terminates at a line well within said front. The front of said plate 31 is bent downwardly to provide an apron 39. And secured to the plate 31 at its lower face is an elongated bumper 46 located in the lower corner thereof and having its bottom face flush with the lower edge of apron 39. The member 46 may be composed of metal, hard rubber or any other suitable material.

A hopper 4| having a neck 42 somewhat smaller than the support 32 and an annular flange 43 integral with the neck is removably secured to the side walls 34 by depending side plates 44 integral with the flange and having inwardly curved vertical end spring clamps 45 which grip the outer edges of the side walls 34 to hold the hopper in position. The hopper 4| has a bottom 46 located at the lower edge of neck 42 and bottom 46 is disposed at an appropriate angle to the horizontal and it extends rearwardly downwardly towards the rear of support 42. The bottom 46 terminates at a material distance from the rear edge of the neck to provide an opening 41 through which may pass the tablets, pills or other units to the feeding plate 31. At the approximate center length of feeding plate 31 and secured thereto by side arms is a cross bar 49 spaced above and extending across said plate 31. A leather-or rubber yielding strip 50 extends below and is adjustably secured to the cross bar 49 by bolts 5| extending'through vertical slots therein so that the space between the lower edge thereof and the feeding face of plate 31 may be varied when desired.

A deflector guide 52 is located between Walls 34 and hasan apron 53 extending downwardly towards the front of support'32. The guide 52 is located near the forward end of feed plate 31 and is spaced therefrom to provide a mouth through which the tablets or the like may move. The guide 52 has a transparent covering of glass 54 for openings therein so that the operator may see whether the tablets are being properly fed.

The upright sides are Extending between said side walls 34 and integral therewith is a cross bar 55 located slightly forwardly of and materially below the lower edge of apron 39. A guide bracket having a pair of horizontally disposed sections 56 vertically spaced from each other is secured to said cross bar 55 and depends therefrom. Said sections 56 have aligned openings therein accommodating a slide striking rod 51 having a knurled bumper head 58 making threaded engagement with the lower end of said rod 51. The position of the bumper head 58 with respect to the rod 51 may be varied by merely turning the head 56 in the desired direction to increase or decrease the overall length of the sliding bumper which is the combination of rod 51 and head 58. Mounted on the rod 51 along thelength thereof and above lower section 56 is a bumper stop 59 having a resilient washer 66 of rubber or leather secured to the lower face thereof. The stop 59 is maintained in fixed position by alock stud bolt 6| and the position of the stop may be varied at will. The rod 51 and head 58 are in alignment with the striking member 36 which is close to the bumper head 58. Adjacent the bar 55 and integral with walls 34 is a cross rib 63 having a resilient bumper 64 of rubber, leather or the like secured thereto and disposed at an angle to the vertical.

When the motor is energized the rotor 4 is driven at constant speed. The eccentric I1 is driven at constant speed by rotorv M. The eccentric |1 imparts a reciprocating motor to the follower 26 which in turn through its striking nipple 30 imparts a reciprocating motion to the rod 51 which in turn strikes the bumper 40 to cause the cantilever plate 31 to be vibrated to feed the tablets or the like towards the apron 39 of said plate.

The speed of feeding of said units may be controlled by controllingthe amplitude of vibration of the plate 31. the plate 31 may be controlled by varying the overall length of the striker by merely turning the head 58up or down on rod 51 to increase or decrease the amplitude of vibration and therefor to increase hr decrease the feeding speed of the units along the plate 31. In order that thev feed plate 31 may be subjected to no striking from the striking member 51 and remain stationary even while the motor is running and the follower 26 is driven thereby, an arm 65 isse- The amplitude ofvibration of cured to a standard 3| and has pivoted thereto a cam 66 which when swung in one direction lifts the head 58 above the maximum vertical position of nipple 36. When it is-desired'to subject the plate 31 to the driving action of follower 20, the cam 66 is retracted and the head 58 is struck by the nipple 36.

A rigid fixture supporting arm 16, which is bent upwardly, has one end thereof firmly secured to the platform |2 by bolts 1| and ap'in bolt 12 is secured to the upper and free end thereof. A rigid U bar 13 fixture retainer is secured to the approximate level of the feed plate 31 and the cross bar thereof is spaced a material distance beyond said walls.

A fixture for receiving and aligning a plural. ity of separate batteries of units is removably secured to the support. The fixture may include a cast lower plate 15, having two sets of four grooves 16 of uniform width extending the entire length thereof and defined by downwardly converging side walls 11.- The contour of the front upper end of plate 75 is curved towards the bottom face thereof and the upper ends of the; ribs defined by the walls 1! are curved to aid in feeding of tablets from the plate 31'to'the grooves or channels- As shown. each plate I may have two separate batteries of. grooves or 5 chutes, with each battery consisting of 4 grooves and spaced from the other battery. A cover plate 18 having longitudinal peep. slots. 19 is secured to: the upper face of plate I5 to provide a shallow space between the lower face of cover I8 and the lower face of grooves 16 so that the tablets may feed thereinto only in a flat formation.

Secured to the lower end of the fixture is mechanism for controlling the discharge of the units therefrom, for guiding said units into a container and for r actuating mechanism for maintaining therein those units above a predetermined count, all of these operations being possible by actuation of the container. And, I prefer thatone of these devicesimay be used for each battery. As shown in Figures 1', 4 and 5, each of these devices may be employed to appropriately guide the discharge unit in flat formation of four rows with three tablets in each row in a fiat container as shown in Figure '7. An end plate 80 is secured to each side of the plate '15 and extends appreciably beyond the lower extremity thereof and a support member 8| located between the batteries of grooves is also secured to the lower part of plate and extends beyond the lower extremity thereof.

Pivotally mounted on said support 8! and between each end plate 80 is a rigid cast member 82 having sides and a cross bar lower portion with a large opening between the'sides and secured thereto is a perforated peep and guide plate 83 having an upwardly inclined guide plate 84; integral therewith and disposed at an obtuse angle relative thereto. A pair of crosswise grooves 84' are in the sides of member 82 and the rear of member 82 is a cross bar having a downwardly forward inclined face from top to bottom and a stop toe 85 to limit the degree of movement of the device in a clockwise direction.

Integral with said plate 80 and extending upwardly therefrom is a plate 86 and a plate 81 is secured to the top plate 78 and is located between the batteries of grooves. Between each plate 86 and plate 81 there extends a member 88 having journals located in bearing openings in plates 86 and, 81. The so pivotally mounted member 88 has a plurality ofspaced openingstherein through which extend rods 90. Firmly secured to the upper end of each rod 90 is a housing 9| through which extends a blunt ended pin 92 having a threaded upper section and a collar 93 near the lower end thereof, the diameter of the collar 93 being slightly less than the internal diameter of the housing 9|. Between the collar 93' and shoulder 94 at the upper end of the housing is a compression spring 95 which tends t'o force the pin 92 out of the housing. Nuts 96 make threaded engagement with a. portion of the pin above the housing and hold the pin to the housing. These nuts may be turned down or up on the pin to vary the pressure exerted on the pin by the spring. 1 I

The rods are so disposed that. the pins of the housings carried. thereby are located; in the longitudinal slots 19 in the cover plate I8. The 7.0 location of the pins 92 from the end of plate 15 is determined by the number of units to be discharged at any one time and so that this may be varied at will the rods 90 may be slided in the member 88 and locked in position by stud to bolt 91. A force take up or cushion and return maybe a simple rod 98 inserted in an opening through member 88 and secured thereto by bolt 99. The rod is bent inwardly towards plate 18 at its other end and the small end of a cone spring Hill is secured thereto and the large end rests on. the cover plate 18 at a place between two of the elongated peep slots.

The spring I00 acting through the rod 98 0011- tinuously exerts force ina direction tending to rotate the member 88 to swing the pins 92 away from the cover plate 13. A rod: 10! is secured to element 88' and carries a gate H32 at its lower end. The gate is located just below the lower extremity of plate 15 and when in closed position retains between plates 15 and 18 the rows of units therein. The gate N22 has a pair of wing I528 which are struck by the sides of member 82 during actuation thereof to lift the gate above the lower face of top plate 18.

When it is desired to fill a container the sides of the same are located in the grooves 84 and the container and member 82 are swung in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5. During this swinging movement the wings Hi8 of the gate are struck by the member 82 and the gate W2 is lifted.

During lifting of the gate the pins 92 are simultaneously swung through the openings 19 and the. pins push against the tablets thereunder. When the gate I02 reaches its maximum open position, the pins 92 have attained their maximum inward position and all of the tablets below those contacted and held by the pins, discharge from the lower ends of grooves 16 and over the inclined face and guided by the guide to be arranged in the container in the manner shown in Figure 7. Upon release of the member 82, the container now filled is removed therefrom and the gate N32,. pins 92 and member 82 return to their original positions.

Secured to the upper plate 15 at the upper part thereof is an inverted V bracket H0 having a bolt H I making a threaded engagement therewith. The bolt has a head H2 whose position relative to the bracket I it may be varied and carries a locking nut I I3. Secured to the upper part of the grooved plate E5 on its longitudina1 center line and depending therefrom is a V bracket H4 having a vertically disposed rod H5 making threaded engagement therewith. The rod H5 carries a locking nut llii to lock the rod in any particular vertical position and a lower nut Ill has a resilient rubber or leather bumper washer H8 secured to the lower face of nut Ill and spaced from the lower end of rod H5. Anchored to the lower end of plate '25 is a bracket having an arm H9 with an opening therein depending from the under side of plate 75.

The fixture may be combined with the previously described mechanism so that the upper end of the plate l5 is located at the same level or just slightly below the upper end of apron 39 and is slightly spaced therefrom, with bar 52, carrying window 54, being freely disposed between walls 34 because it is part of the fixture and is secured to plate 15 by bolt 53.

The upper edge of plate 18 may be closely adjacent guide 53. The head N2 of bolt Ill is so adjusted that it firmly and tightly bears against the cross arm of member 73' and the upper part of plate "i5 is thereby held against resilient bumper 54. The lower end of rod H5 is located in the vertical opening of arm 28 and the pin 12 is located in the opening in arm H9 When it is desired to fill a bottle or like container rather than a fiat container, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 7, I prefer that the fixture have a gate and pin actuating mechanism, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. Each member 86 is elongated to provide a projection I20 extending below plate 15. A rigid bar I2I is pivoted near one end thereof to projection I20 by pin I22 and is spaced from and extends along the bottom ofplate 15 to a point beyond the end thereof and thereat carries a funnel unit discharge guide I23 having a neck I 24 with a flange I25 adapted to be actuating by a container I26.

Intermediate the pivot I22 and guide I23, a housing I21 for a compression spring I28 depends from said bar. An inverted L shaped rod I29 has one end thereof extending into said housing and its other end located between the top plate 18 and a bar I30 extending downwardly from the member 88. When the container I26 is inserted into neck I24 and forced against the flange I25, the guide funnel I23 is swung to its upper position. As the guide I23 is swung upwardly in the direction of the arrow, as shown in Figure 8, the bar I2I is swung about pivot I22 and against the action of spring I28 and the bar I29 is swung upwardly to the dotted line position. This causes the gate I02 to be completely open and the pins to firmly hold the units above those to be discharged and all of the units below those held by the pins discharge into container I26. When the container is lowered and removed from neck I24, the elements all assume their original positions.

In operation, the units which may be of any size, shape or weight are fed in bulk to the hopper 4! In Figures 1-6, there is illustrated a machine particularly adapted to feed units, such as tablets or discs into a flat container and in the arrangement shown in Figure 7 of three rows of tablets, each row consisting of four tablets. The bulk tablets feed through mouth 41 and pile up behind yielding member 50 and on plate 31. The motor I3 is energized to drive the rotor I4 thereof at approximately constant speed. The rotor I4 drives the eccentric I1 which in turn imparts a vertical oscillatory motor to the Vertical arm 26 of the follower 20, to the arm 28 and the vertically disposed striking nipple 30. One end of the arm 28 periodically strikes the bumper I I8 of nut II1 to vibrate the entire fixture. Simultaneously therewith the nipple 30 periodically strikes the bumper nut 58 to impart oscillatory vertical motion to striking rod 51 which in turn periodically strikes bumper 40 to impart a vibratory motion to the plate 31. As the plate 31 is vibrated the tablets are vibrated so that they feed forwardly flatwise in a single layer between the member 50 and plate 31 and further forwardly to the end of the plate 31 over to the receiving mouths of the chutes or grooves 16 of the plate 15 which is vibrating. I

At the mouth of the chutes the tablets are kept in motion and adjust themselves to feed into said chutes which are vibrating and thus are aligned therein and feed therein in single file. lets in the chutes are continuously maintained in motion towards and away from the lower surfaces of the chutes 16 and top plate 18. The rate of feeding of the tablets along the plate 31 may be varied by varying the amplitude of vibration of said plate and this may be accomplished by turning the nut 58 up or down on rod 51 to change the position of the lower surface of the nut 58 with respect to the maximum vertical po- The tabsition of the nipple 30'. And, thespeed-ofvibra tion of .the fixture maybe varied-:byturning' the bumper nut II1 up or down to varythe position of the lower face of bumper II8 with respect to the maximum vertical position of the striking part of arm 28. Any variation of the speed of vibration of the fixture varies the speed of .dis-L charge of the units whenthe gate is opened.- After the nuts 58 and IIThave been properly adjusted, and with" the motor energized, the operator inserts'with .the palm of his hand the sides of the bottom of the container shown in Figure 7 in the grooves 84 of the sides.

The front side of the. bottom of the container is located in the forward groove 84 and the rear side of the bottom of the container and the side of the top of the container hinged thereto are located in the rear groove. The forward part of the hand is tipped upwardly'to swingthe cone tainer and sides about the pivot and as this pivotal movement takes place the wings of the gate I02 are struck by the sides to lift the gate When the lower edge of the'gate I02 is located above the lower face of cover plate 19, four rows of tablets discharge into the container which vibrates with the fixture so that the units'arrange themselves in the manner shown in Fig ure 7. 'Then the pressure isremoved from the bottom'of -the container and the container and cast member swing downwardly to the position shown in Figure 4 where the gate I02 closes the discharge end of the chutes and the pins 92 are raised abovethe lower face of cover p1ate'19. The filled container is removed therefrom and the above operations are repeated to fill the next container. With the two batteries of grooves one may use both hands and simultaneously fill two containers. I

When it is desired to fill a bottle of units with out regard to the position of one unit with respect to'the other, the fixture, which differs from the fixture in Figure 1 by the modified construction shown in Figures8 and 9, replaces the fixture shown in Figure 1. In this case, both hands may also be used to simultaneously fill two bottles with a predetermined number of units. The neck of each. bottle is inserted in the neck I 24 and forces against flange I25 which lifts the funnel upwardly towards the discharge gate I02 and swings bar I 2I about pivot I 22. The inverted L bar strikes the rod to swing the pins 92 into contact with the'unit above the predetermined number and the gate is opened and the predetermined number of units discharge into the funnel and therethrough into the bottle. When the bottle is lowered the elements which were in the dotted' discharge end of said second means whereby said units will discharge from said second means into said chute reciprocating means for agitating said chute to maintain in motion said units therein, an eccentric, a motor for driving said eccentric, both of said reciprocating means driven by said eccentric, both of said reciprocating means including a common reciprocating element carried by and driven by said eccentric.

2. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit feeding apparatus comprising means for containing in bulk units to be fed, mea-n'sfor receiving said units from said first means, reciprocating means for vibrating said second means in the direction of its thickness to feed, said units therealong, a chute for receiving said units from said second means and for aligning them in single file therein, the receiving end of said chute disposed in close proximity to thedischarge' end of said second means and as low as the discharge end of said second means whereby said units will discharge from said second meansinto said chute reciprocating means for agitating said chute to maintain inv motion said units therein, a motor, a rotor shaft carried by and driven by said motor, an eccentric carried by said shaft and driven thereby, both of said reciprocating means including a common reciprocating element carried by and driven by said eccentric.

3. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit feeding apparatus comprising a hopper for containing in bulk units to be fed, an incline plate for receiving said units from said hopper, a chute for receiving saidunits from said plate and aligning them in 3 single file therein, the receiving end of said chute disposed in close proximity to and as low as the discharge end of said plate whereby said units will discharge from said plate into said chute, a motor, a rotor shaft caried by and driven by said motor, an eccentric secured to said shaft and driven thereby, reciprocating means supported by said eccentric and driven thereby, vertically disposed sliding means driven by said reciprocating means to vibrate said plate, means secured to said chute and driven by said reciprocating means to agitate said chute.

g 4. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit feeding apparatus comprising a hopper for containing in bulk units to be fed, an incline plate for receiving said units from said hopper, a chute for receiving said units from said plate and aligning them in single file therein, a motor including a rotor shaft, an eccentric secured to said shaft and driven thereby, reciprocating means supported by said eccentric and driven thereby, a vertically disposed sliding means driven by said reciprocating means to vibrate said plate, said sliding means including an adjustable element whose position relative to the maximum upper position of said reciprocating means may be varied to vary the degree of vibration of said plate during actuation thereof by said sliding means when driven by said reciprocating means and means secured to said chute and driven by said reciprocating means to agitate said chute. 5. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit feeding apparatus comprising a motor including a driven rotor shaft, a support therefor, a hopper for containing in bulk units tobe fed, a support for said hopper including a pair of vertically disposed elements, an incline plate for receiving units from said hopper and located between said elements, an incline chute for receiving units from said plate and aligning the same therein, the mouth of said chute located adjacent the lower end of said plate, an eccentric secured to said shaft and driven thereby, reciprocating means carried by said eccentric and driven thereby, sliding means located between said elements and driven by said reciprocating means to vibrate said plate in the direction of its thickness, means driven by said reciprocating means to agitate said chute, said last means secured to said chute and depending therefrom, said last means including a vertically adjustable element for varying'the degree of agitation of said chutewhen driven by said reciprocating means.

6. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit feeding apparatus comprising a motor including a driven rotor shaft, a pedestal, said motor mounted on and secured to said pedestal, a hopper for containing in bulk units to be fed, a support for said hopper including a pair of side walls, an incline plate for receiving units from said hopper and located between said side walls, the upper end of said plate fixedly secured to said support and its other end being free to vibrate, said plate located above said motor, an incline chute for receiving units from said plate and aligning them therein, the upper part of said chute located between said walls and adjacent the lower end of said plate, the receiving end of said chute located in close proximity to the discharge end of said plate and aslow as the discharge end of said plate whereby said units will discharge a from said plate into said chute, a plurality of standards for spacing said support from said pedestal, an eccentric secured to said shaft and driven thereby, vertically reciprocating means carried by said eccentric and driven thereby,

means driven by said reciprocating means to vibrate said plate in the direction of its thickness, and means driven by said reciprocating means to agitate said chute.

'l. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit feeding apparatus comprising a motor including a. rotor shaft, a pedestal supporting said motor, a plurality of standards secured to said pedestal and spaced around said motor, a hopper for containing in bulk units to be fed, a support for said hopper, said support secured to said standards and supported thereby above said motor, an incline feed plate for receiving units from said hopper, the upper end of said plate secured to said support, an eccentric carried by said shaft and driven thereby, an incline chute for receiving said units from said plate and aligning them therein, the receiving end of said chute disposed in close proximity to the discharge end of said feed plate and as low as the discharge end of said feed plate whereby said units will discharge from said feed plate into said chute, means secured to said pedestal and supporting the lower end of said chute and reciprocating means carried by and driven by said eccentric for vibrating said plate and agitating said chute.

8. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit feeding apparatus comprising a motor including a rotor shaft, a pedestal supporting said motor, a plurality of standards secured to said pedestal and spaced around said motor, a hopper for containing in bulk units to be fed, a support for said hopper, said support including a pair of side walls and secured to said standards, said support located above said motor, an incline feed plate for receiving units from said hopper and located between said walls, the upper end thereof secured to said support, an eccentric carried by said shaft and driven thereby, an incline chute for receiving units from said plate and aligning them in single file therein, reciprocating means driven by said eccentric, means driven by said reciprocating means for vibrating said plate, said last means being adjustable to vary the degree of vibration of said plate, and means driven by said reciprocating means to agitate said chute, said last means being adjustable to vary the degree of agitation of said chute.

9. A tablet, pill, capsule or like unit feeding apparatus comprising a hopper for containing in bulk units to be fed, a plate element for receiving said units from said hopper, a chute element for receiving said units from said plate and aligning them in single file therein, the receiving end of said chute element disposed in close proximity to and as low as the discharge end of said plate element whereby said units will discharge from said plate element into said chute element means for agitating said plate to feed said units therealong and towards said chute, and means for agitating said chute to maintain in motion said units therein, one of said means being adjustable independently of the other to vary the degree of agitation of the element agitated thereby, both of said means including a common reciprocating element, a motor, a shaft carried by and driven by said motor, an eccentric carried by and driven by said shaft, said common reciprocating element carried by and driven by said eccentric.

10. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit feeding apparatus comprising means for containing in bulk units to be fed, means for receiving units from said first means, reciprocating means for vibrating said second means to feed said units therealong, a chute for receiving said units from said second means and for aligning said units in single file, the receiving end of said chute disposed in close proximity to and as low as the discharge end of said second means whereby said units will discharge from said second means into said chute, reciprocating means for agitating said chute to agitate said units therein, both of said reciprocating means being adjustable to vary the degree of vibration of said second means and said chute, one of said reciprocating means being adjustable independently of the other, a motor, a shaft carried by and driven by said motor, an eccentric carried by and driven by said shaft, both of said reciprocating means including a common reciprocating element, said reciprocating element carried by and driven by said eccentric.

11. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit feed ing and measuring apparatus comprising a hopper for containing in bulk units to be fed, an incline plate for receiving said units from said hopper, reciprocating means for vibrating said plate to feed said units towards the lower end thereof, an incline chute forreceiving said units one by one in single file, the receiving end of said chute located adjacent the lower end of said plate, a gate normally closing the discharge end of said chute and supported by said chute, normally inoperative unit retaining means supported by said chute, means connecting said retaining means and said gate, pivoted means for guiding units discharged from the chute into a container and actuable by movement of the container, said gate and retaining means actuated by movement of the container simultaneously to move the retaining means to operative position to maintain in said chute all of said units above a predetermined number and to open said gate whereby the predetermined number of 'units discharged from the; chute are guided into the contaiiieriby said pivoted means.

,12. A tablet, capsule, pill or' like unit feeding and counting apparatus comprising a pedestal, a motor having a rotor shaft mounted on said pedestal, a hopper for containing in bulk units to be fed, a support for said hopper, said support located above :said motor, a plurality of standards securedrto said pedestal and support, said standards spaced around said motor, said support including a plurality of sides, an incline cantilever plate for receiving said units from said hopper, the upper end of said plate secured to said support, a demountable counting fixture including a plurality of grooves for receiving'and aligning said units in single file therein, the upper ends of said grooves located adjacent the free end of said plate, an eccentric carried and driven by'said shaft, reciprocating means for vibrating said plate and fixture, said reciprocating means including a vertically disposed striking element and a horizontally disposed striking element, said reciprocating means mounted on and driven by said eccentric.

13. A tablet, capsule, pill orlike unit feeding and counting apparatus comprising a pedestal, a motor located on and secured to said pedestal, a rotor shaft carried by and driven by said motor, an eccentric secured to and driven by said shaft, a hopper for containing in bulk units to be fed, a hopper support including a plurality and located between said walls, a plurality of standards spaced around said motor and securing said support to saidpedestal, a demountable chute for receiving units from said plate, the lower end of said chute supported by said pedestal and the upper end thereof supported by said support and located adjacent the lower end of said plate, reciprocating means for said plate and chute, said reciprocating means including means supported by and driven by said eccentric.

14. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit counting fixture comprising a plate having a plurality of grooves therein, a cover plate therefor, one of said plates having a plurality of openings therein, pivoted means supported by one of said plates near the discharge endthereof, a plurality of pins adapted to be moved through said openings, a plurality of rods connecting said pivoted means and'said pins, a gate for closing the discharge tion, an independently operable individual resilient pressure take-up spring for each pin, a pivoted rod supported by one of said plates, a discharge funnel guide connected to one end of said rod, means actuable by said rod upon actuation of saidguide to rotate said pivoted means whereby the gate is opened and the pins are'depressed through said openings and into operative position. I

. 15. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit counting fixture comprising a chute having an opening therein, pivoted means carried by said chute, pivoted guide means actuable by a container to guide into the container actuated thereby units discharged from said chute, a gate for closing the discharge end of said chute, said gate con-- nected to said pivoted means, a retaining pin adapted to be moved through said opening, means connecting said pin and said pivoted means, resilient'means tending to rotate said pivoted means to maintainsaid gate in closed position and said pin in inoperative position, said pivoted means adapted to be counteirotated against the action of said resilient means by actuation of said guide by said container to move said pin to operative position and said gate to inoperative position whereupon a predetermined number of units will discharge from said chute and be guided into said container by said guide means, and a pressure take-up spring for said pin.

16. A tablet or like unit counting fixture comprising a plurality of spaced plates having therebetween-a plurality of grooves accommodating said units in single file, side by side, formation, pivoted means supported by one of said plates, a gate connected to said means, one of said plates having openings therein communicating with said grooves, a plurality of retaining pins adapted to extend through said openings, means connecting said pins to said pivoted means, pivoted means adapted to accommodate a fiat container and to be actuated by said container and a guide comprising a plurality of elements disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to each other, said guide secured to said second mentioned pivoted means, one element of said guide extending upwardly from said other element thereof.

17. A tablet or like unit counting fixture comprising a plurality of spaced plates having therebetween a plurality of grooves accommodating said units in fiat single file side to side formation, pivoted means supported by one of said plates, a gate connected to said pivoted means, one of said plates having openings therein over said grooves, a plurality of retaining pins adapted to extend through said openings, connecting means for said pins and pivoted means, resilient means for actuating said pins with respect to said connecting means, a pivoted guide supported by one of said plates and adapted to be actuated by a fiat container to actuate said gate and pins upon movement thereof and to guide a predetermined number of units discharged irom said grooves in flat formation into said container.

18. A tablet, capsule, pill or like unit counting fixture comprising a plate having a plurality of sets of elongated grooves therein, a cover plate therefor, one of said plates having an opening therein over each groove, a plurality of individual pivoted means supported by one of said plates, a gate connected to each pivoted means, a plurality of retaining pins adapted to be moved through said openings, connecting rods for said pivoted means and pins, said rods being independently adjustable with respect to said pivoted means, individual spring means for each pin, a pivoted guide located near the discharge end of each set of grooves to guide into a container the units discharged from said plate and actuable by said container, said retaining pins and said gate being simultaneously actuated by pivotal movement of said guide.

MILTON I. AYERS. 

